EL INFINITIVO EN INGLÉS

🎯 Introducción

El infinitivo en inglés es una de las estructuras más importantes y más usadas del idioma. Aparece en casi todas las conversaciones, textos y exámenes. Dominarlo es esencial para hablar y escribir correctamente.

💡 Definición rápida: El infinitivo es la forma verbal que expresa la acción sin conjugarla, y en inglés puede aparecer de dos maneras:
Con "to" → to work (infinitivo completo / full infinitive)
Sin "to" → work (infinitivo desnudo / bare infinitive)

1️⃣ ¿QUÉ ES EL INFINITIVO?

📖 Definición

El infinitivo es la forma no conjugada del verbo. No tiene sujeto propio, no cambia según la persona y no indica tiempo por sí mismo. Equivale a los infinitivos en español terminados en -ar, -er, -ir.

🔑 Características principales

No se conjuga (no cambia con I, you, he, she...)
No tiene tiempo propio (el tiempo lo da el verbo principal)
Puede funcionar como sustantivo, adjetivo o adverbio
Tiene dos formas: con "to" y sin "to"

📋 Comparación español-inglés

Español (infinitivo)	Inglés (con TO)	Inglés (sin TO / forma base)
hablar	to speak	speak
comer	to eat	eat
vivir	to live	live
ir	to go	go
ser/estar	to be	be
tener	to have	have

2️⃣ LOS DOS TIPOS DE INFINITIVO

🅰️ INFINITIVO COMPLETO (Full Infinitive) → TO + verbo

Es la forma más común y reconocible. Siempre lleva "to" delante del verbo en forma base.

Fórmula:

TO + FORMA BASE

Ejemplos:

to run (correr)
to study (estudiar)
to travel (viajar)
to be (ser/estar)

🅱️ INFINITIVO DESNUDO (Bare Infinitive) → verbo sin TO

Es el verbo en forma base, sin "to". Se usa en contextos específicos que veremos más adelante.

Ejemplos:

run
study
travel
be

🧠 Comparación visual

INFINITIVO COMPLETO:    to work
INFINITIVO DESNUDO:     work
                        ↑
                  (mismo verbo, sin "to")

3️⃣ USOS DEL INFINITIVO CON "TO"

El infinitivo con "to" tiene muchísimos usos. Aquí los principales:

✅ USO 1: Como sujeto de la oración

El infinitivo puede ser el sujeto, aunque suena más formal.

To learn a language takes time.
To travel is my passion.
To forgive is difficult.

💡 En inglés informal, se prefiere: Learning a language takes time.

✅ USO 2: Como complemento de ciertos verbos

Muchos verbos van seguidos obligatoriamente de infinitivo con "to":

Verbo	Ejemplo
want	I want to go.
need	She needs to rest.
decide	They decided to stay.
hope	We hope to see you.
plan	He plans to travel.
promise	I promise to help.
agree	She agreed to come.
refuse	He refused to answer.
learn	I learned to swim.
try	Try to relax.
forget	Don't forget to call.
remember	Remember to lock the door.
expect	I expect to win.
offer	She offered to drive.
pretend	He pretended to sleep.
seem	You seem to be tired.
appear	She appears to know him.
manage	We managed to finish.
afford	I can't afford to buy it.
choose	He chose to leave.
deserve	You deserve to win.
fail	She failed to arrive on time.
happen	I happened to meet him.
hesitate	Don't hesitate to ask.
intend	We intend to move.
prepare	They prepared to leave.
threaten	He threatened to quit.
wish	I wish to speak to the manager.
would like	I would like to eat.

✅ USO 3: Para expresar PROPÓSITO (para)

Responde a la pregunta "¿Para qué?". Equivale a "para + infinitivo" en español.

I study English to get a better job. (Estudio inglés para conseguir un mejor trabajo)
She called to say hello. (Llamó para decir hola)
He went out to buy milk. (Salió para comprar leche)
We came here to help you. (Vinimos para ayudarte)

✅ USO 4: Después de adjetivos

It's important to practice.
I'm happy to meet you.
She was surprised to see him.
It's difficult to understand.
He's ready to start.
I'm sorry to hear that.

✅ USO 5: Después de sustantivos

I have a lot of work to do.
She has something to tell you.
There's nothing to worry about.
He needs a place to sleep.
That's a good idea to consider.
I need a pen to write with.

✅ USO 6: Después de "too" y "enough"

He's too young to drive.
She's old enough to vote.
It's too late to call.
I'm strong enough to lift it.
This coffee is too hot to drink.

✅ USO 7: Después de "the first / the last / the only / the best / the worst"

She was the first to arrive.
He's the only one to know the truth.
That's the best way to learn.
I was the last to leave.

✅ USO 8: Después de "how, what, where, when, who" (infinitivo interrogativo)

I don't know how to swim.
She told me what to do.
Can you show me where to go?
I don't know when to call him.

✅ USO 9: Con "would like / would love / would prefer"

I would like to travel to Japan.
She would love to meet you.
We would prefer to stay home.

✅ USO 10: Para dar instrucciones o explicar el uso de algo

To open the door, press this button. (Para abrir la puerta, presiona este botón)
To make tea, boil water first.

4️⃣ USOS DEL INFINITIVO SIN "TO" (Bare Infinitive)

✅ USO 1: Después de verbos modales

Todos los modales van seguidos de infinitivo sin "to":

Modal	Ejemplo
can	I can swim.
could	She could come.
will	They will arrive.
would	I would help.
shall	Shall we go?
should	You should rest.
must	We must go.
may	It may rain.
might	He might call.

✅ USO 2: Después de "let", "make", "help" (verbos causativos)

She made him cry. (Ella lo hizo llorar)
Let me go. (Déjame ir)
I helped her carry the bags. (La ayudé a cargar las bolsas)
- Nota: "help" acepta ambas formas: help her carry o help her to carry.

✅ USO 3: Después de "had better", "would rather", "rather than"

You had better study. (Más te vale estudiar)
I would rather stay home. (Preferiría quedarme en casa)
I'd rather walk than drive.
Rather than wait, she left.

✅ USO 4: Después de "why" en preguntas (¿por qué + verbo?)

Why wait? (¿Por qué esperar?)
Why not come with us? (¿Por qué no vienes con nosotros?)

✅ USO 5: Después de "but" y "except"

She does nothing but complain. (No hace más que quejarse)
I have no choice but to accept. (No tengo otra opción que aceptar)

✅ USO 6: Con "and", "or" (verbos en serie)

I want to sit down and rest. (Quiero sentarme y descansar)
She can sing and dance. (Ella puede cantar y bailar)

5️⃣ INFINITIVO vs. GERUNDIO (-ING)

Muchos verbos pueden ir seguidos de infinitivo o gerundio, pero:

📌 Verbos que SOLO llevan infinitivo con TO

want, need, decide, hope, plan, promise, agree, refuse, learn, offer, expect, pretend, seem, appear, manage, afford, choose, deserve, fail, happen, hesitate, intend, prepare, threaten, wish, would like

Ejemplo:

✅ I want to go.
❌ I want going.

📌 Verbos que SOLO llevan gerundio (-ING)

enjoy, finish, avoid, mind, suggest, recommend, keep, practice, admit, deny, consider, imagine, miss, postpone, risk

Ejemplo:

✅ I enjoy swimming.
❌ I enjoy to swim.

📌 Verbos que aceptan AMBOS (sin cambio de significado)

begin, start, continue, like, love, hate, prefer

Ejemplo:

✅ I like to swim. = ✅ I like swimming.

📌 Verbos que CAMBIAN de significado

Verbo	+ TO	+ ING
stop	He stopped to smoke (Se detuvo PARA fumar)	He stopped smoking (Dejó de fumar)
remember	Remember to call (Recuerda llamar - futuro)	I remember calling (Recuerdo haber llamado - pasado)
forget	Don't forget to lock (No olvides cerrar - futuro)	I'll never forget meeting her (Nunca olvidaré haberla conocido - pasado)
try	Try to open it (Intenta abrirlo - esfuerzo)	Try opening it (Prueba abrirlo - experimento)
regret	I regret to tell you (Lamento decirte - ahora)	I regret telling you (Lamento haberte dicho - pasado)

6️⃣ EL INFINITIVO PERFECTO (Perfect Infinitive)

📖 ¿Qué es?

Es el infinitivo que expresa una acción anterior al momento del que se habla.

Fórmula:

TO HAVE + PARTICIPIO PASADO

📋 Ejemplos

I'm happy to have finished the project. (Estoy feliz de haber terminado el proyecto)
She seems to have forgotten the meeting. (Parece haber olvidado la reunión)
He claims to have seen a ghost. (Afirma haber visto un fantasma)
I would like to have met him. (Me gustaría haberlo conocido)

📌 Infinitivo perfecto continuo

Fórmula:

TO HAVE BEEN + VERBO-ING

She seems to have been working all day. (Parece haber estado trabajando todo el día)

7️⃣ EL INFINITIVO PASIVO (Passive Infinitive)

📖 ¿Qué es?

Expresa una acción recibida, no realizada por el sujeto.

Fórmula:

TO BE + PARTICIPIO PASADO

📋 Ejemplos

This needs to be done today. (Esto necesita ser hecho hoy)
She wants to be promoted. (Ella quiere ser ascendida)
The house seems to be renovated. (La casa parece estar siendo renovada)
I don't want to be interrupted. (No quiero ser interrumpido)

📌 Infinitivo pasivo perfecto

Fórmula:

TO HAVE BEEN + PARTICIPIO PASADO

He seems to have been fired. (Parece haber sido despedido)

8️⃣ EL INFINITIVO CONTINUO (Continuous Infinitive)

📖 ¿Qué es?

Expresa una acción en progreso en el momento del que se habla.

Fórmula:

TO BE + VERBO-ING

📋 Ejemplos

She seems to be sleeping. (Parece estar durmiendo)
He appears to be working. (Parece estar trabajando)
They pretend to be studying. (Fingen estar estudiando)

9️⃣ TABLA RESUMEN DE TODAS LAS FORMAS DEL INFINITIVO

Forma	Fórmula	Ejemplo
Simple con TO	to + verbo	to work
Simple sin TO	verbo base	work
Continuo	to be + verbo-ing	to be working
Perfecto	to have + participio	to have worked
Perfecto continuo	to have been + verbo-ing	to have been working
Pasivo	to be + participio	to be done
Pasivo perfecto	to have been + participio	to have been done

🔟 ERRORES COMUNES

❌ Error 1: Usar "to" después de modales

❌ I can to swim.
✅ I can swim.

❌ Error 2: Usar "to" después de "let" y "make"

❌ Let me to go.
✅ Let me go.
❌ She made him to cry.
✅ She made him cry.

❌ Error 3: Olvidar "to" después de want, need, decide...

❌ I want go home.
✅ I want to go home.

❌ Error 4: Conjugar el verbo después de "to"

❌ I want to goes home.
✅ I want to go home.

❌ Error 5: Usar gerundio donde va infinitivo

❌ I decided going.
✅ I decided to go.

❌ Error 6: Usar infinitivo donde va gerundio

❌ I enjoy to swim.
✅ I enjoy swimming.

1️⃣1️⃣ EJERCICIOS PRÁCTICOS

Completa con la forma correcta (infinitivo con TO, sin TO, o gerundio -ING):

I want ___ (learn) English.
She can ___ (speak) three languages.
He decided ___ (move) to another city.
Let me ___ (help) you.
It's important ___ (sleep) well.
I enjoy ___ (read) books.
You should ___ (see) a doctor.
I have something ___ (tell) you.
She made him ___ (apologize).
I don't know how ___ (swim).
They hope ___ (finish) soon.
Would you like ___ (come) with us?
He's too tired ___ (walk).
She was the first ___ (arrive).
I'd rather ___ (stay) home tonight.

✅ Respuestas:

to learn (después de "want")
speak (después de modal "can")
to move (después de "decided")
help (después de "let")
to sleep (después de adjetivo)
reading (después de "enjoy")
see (después de "should")
to tell (después de sustantivo)
apologize (después de "made")
to swim (infinitivo interrogativo)
to finish (después de "hope")
to come (después de "would like")
to walk (después de "too")
to arrive (después de "the first")
stay (después de "would rather")

1️⃣2️⃣ CONSEJOS FINALES

Memoriza la fórmula: Infinitivo con TO = TO + FORMA BASE. Siempre.
Aprende listas de verbos: los que llevan TO, los que llevan -ING, y los que aceptan ambos.
Identifica el verbo principal: eso te dice si necesitas TO, sin TO, o -ING.
El "to" nunca va seguido de verbo conjugado: siempre forma base.
Practica con canciones y series: el oído interioriza los patrones.
Escribe tus propias oraciones: usar el infinitivo en contexto real es la mejor manera de fijarlo.

📋 LISTAS RÁPIDAS DE REFERENCIA

✅ Verbos + TO (infinitivo completo)

want, need, decide, hope, plan, promise, agree, refuse, learn, try, forget, remember, would like, expect, offer, pretend, seem, appear, manage, afford, choose, deserve, fail, happen, hesitate, intend, prepare, threaten, wish

✅ Verbos + forma base SIN TO (modales + causativos)

can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must, let, make, help (opcional), had better, would rather

✅ Verbos + ING (gerundio)

enjoy, finish, avoid, mind, suggest, recommend, keep, practice, admit, deny, consider, imagine, miss, postpone, risk

✅ Verbos que aceptan AMBOS (sin cambio)

begin, start, continue, like, love, hate, prefer

✅ Verbos que CAMBIAN de significado

stop, remember, forget, try, regret

¿Quieres que profundice en algún tipo específico de infinitivo (perfecto, pasivo, continuo), o que cree más ejercicios con soluciones detalladas